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POLITICO 44

With his health reform efforts on the ropes, President Barack Obama is courting the religious community with an unabashedly moral message that played little role in the White House’s earlier arguments for changing America’s health care system.

Speaking on a conference call Wednesday evening with what organizers estimated were 140,000 members of churches and religious groups, Obama also suggested that some critics of his health care proposals were violating the Biblical commandment against lying.

“I know there’s been a lot of misinformation in this debate and there are some folks out there who are, frankly, bearing false witness,” Obama said on the call, which was played out live on the Internet. “I need you to spread the facts and speak the truth.”

The president faulted opponents of his proposals for circulating “ludicrous ideas” aimed at frightening the public about the prospect of reform.

“This notion that somehow we are setting up death panels that will decide whether elderly people get to live or die: that is just an extraordinary lie,” Obama said emphatically. He said a provision in House legislation that would authorize payment for end-of-life counseling was “entirely voluntary” and would simply put the poor or middle class on par with wealthier Americans.

“It gives you an option that people who can afford fancy lawyers already exercise,” the president said.

However, Obama seemed to concede that critics of his efforts had won the upper hand in the public relations battle. He said his opponents have succeeded in raising the fears of elderly Americans that reform to the health insurance system could jeopardize Medicare.

“Many of you have older members of your congregations. They’re all now scared to death that somehow we’re talking about cutting Medicare benefits,” Obama said. “That is, again, simply not true.”

In an odd bit of messaging, Obama urged the religious communities, many of which offer outreach and even sanctuary to illegal aliens, not to believe reports that health reform would cover foreigners in the U.S. illegally.

“That’s not true. It does not provide health insurance for those individuals,” Obama said.

Obama also insisted the plan would not provide government funding for abortion.

Readers' Comments (262)

Faith Leaders- READ THE BILL> OUR SERVANTS HAVEN'T!!! Demand your parishoners call their congressmen and scream to read the bill!! Voting for a bill one has not read is TREASON. It is worse than driving without bothering to open your eyes, because the ENTIRE NATION and our FREEDOM is at stake!! Stop allowing EVIL PIG TRAITORS to use you !!!!!! EVIL!!!

Faith Leaders- READ THE BILL> OUR SERVANTS HAVEN'T!!! Demand your parishoners call their congressmen and scream to read the bill!! Voting for a bill one has not read is TREASON. It is worse than driving without bothering to open your eyes, because the ENTIRE NATION and our FREEDOM is at stake!! Stop allowing EVIL PIG TRAITORS to use you !!!!!! EVIL!!!

So much for separation of church and state. Are these church leaders supposed to go into their parishes and make political promises for Obama and the DNC, now?

Obama administration loans $2 Billion to Brazil Petrochemical company to drill offshore the coast of Brazil. Where are the Teamsters and SEIU on this one! NAFTA was bad but it's okay to spend $2 billion to fund drilling jobs overseas which will make us further dependent on foreign sources of oil. That way we hurt both the US energy worker and the US consumer in one loan. But hey George Soros is a major benefactor of Obama and a major shareholder of Brazilian conglomerate.

Shameless, manipulating and using men of God. I wonder if Obama's spiritual advisor Rev. Wright was in on the call - maybe he can teach them a few things - like the one that God was a black man persecuted by whitey.

I use to call myself an "Independent Moderate," but I think I may have to change my moniker since I may be about to become a radical member of the Mob!

I just heard that the President’s conference call with religious leaders today was for the purpose of encouraging religious leaders to “use their pulpits” to advance [his] healthcare reform. Am I missing something!?!?!?!?!? Aren’t churches prohibited from weighing in on political issues? Don’t they risk losing their “tax-exempt” status by doing so? What about separation of church and state!?!?!?

Why isn’t the left beating their breasts over this one!?!?!?!?!?!

Thought I'd mention that I am a wee bit concerned with a letter that ONLY went to insurance companies that have NOT supported the Administrations healthcare reform agenda informing them that the Government wants to examine their business practices. Is anyone else out there sensing a theme?!?!?!?!?!

If so, don't be discouraged, you can still report any suspected impropriety on the White House website, even though Mr. Hope and Change has eliminated flag.com as a reporting mechanism.

What is happening to my country? Can you spell B A N A N A R E P U B L I C?

WE HAVE TO GIVE BARACK OBAMA PROPS, HE WILL DO WHATEVER TO WIN. BY THE WAY, WHICH CHURCH ARE THE OBAMA'S ATTENDING. HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT THEIR CHURCH AFFILIATION SINCE THEY DUMPED THEIR CHURCH IN ORDER TO BE ELECTED PRESIDENT

Correction - Obama's spiritual advisor Rev. Wright said Jesus was a black man persecuted by whitey. So let's see - Dems and liberals support abortion and gay marriage, but they are on a mission from God?!!!

Why is Mr. Obama calling on the religious leaders of this country after going abroad and telling the world and especially the muslim world to which he was directing the statement that "America is not a Christian Nation". Keep in mind Mr. Obama started out as a muslim-American. Mr. Obama was influenced by a religion other than christianity which influenced many of our presidents and higher political officials in Washington. During his childhood when he lived abroad and attended either midrasas or early childhood education in the obviously muslim country of Indonesia, there was surely a heavy muslim influence while his father was present. For him to deny the extreme influence of Christianity over the development of the United States is understandable, he did not grow up in this culture, no pledge of allegience in the first grades, no ten commandments or memorization of such "biblical" prose during his early years in school or home. It is not hard to believe he would deny Christ's influence on the American way of life. It is however disingenuos and greatly disturbing for him to deny the majority christian heritage of Americans on the one hand and then to come back and ask for their help in passing an obviously socialistic medicine/healthcare plan which anyone can see that the majority of Americans do not want.

Full disclosure.....I'm pro-choice with a lot of restrictions. I can fully empathize with "pro life" people who view funding abortion as reprehensible. I don't want to fund it either simply because abortion should be difficult to come by! If there is no language in "THE BILL" that precludes the use of taxpayer money to fund abortion, taxpayer money will fund abortion.

If there is no language in "THE BILL" to preclude illegal immigrants from being provided with healthcare pursuant to "THE BILL," they will be provided with healthcare

I'm not an attorney, but I've worked as a paralegal for 30 years. This is how it works people! If their not precluding these events in "THE BILL" they don't intend to preclude these practices in reality.

The fact that, although Obama has yet to find a church for himself and his family, or better yet, go to church, with the exception of a couple of Sundays, yet call on religious leaders now for help is so hypocritical it is laughable...only when it is convenient for him. Bet he has placed his call to Father Flager and Rev Wright too on his secret and encrypted blackberry.

"When you have to look to the church for help, you know you are lost, and desperate for answers."

Actually, if our country had abided by church teachings over the years we never would have ended up in this mess in the first place. There can be no authentic freedom without knowing the Truth.

As far as biblical lessons go, the whole health care fiasco is a new Tower of Babel. Obama and his supporters who would claim to bring us a utopian health care system, have been struck down and confused by God just as he confused the Babylonians when they thought they could build a tower to heaven without His help.

"When you have to look to the church for help, you know you are lost, and desperate for answers."

Actually, if our country had abided by church teachings over the years we never would have ended up in this mess in the first place. There can be no authentic freedom without knowing the Truth.

As far as biblical lessons go, the whole health care fiasco is a new Tower of Babel. Obama and his supporters who would claim to bring us a utopian health care system, have been struck down and confused by God just as he confused the Babylonians when they thought they could build a tower to heaven without His help.

This uniter, Obama, has turned to faith leaders now for support of his health plan???? This guy has driven wedges on young and old, black and white, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, and now drags the religious leaders into the mix.

Very smart move since the Republicans are alway claiming they are the Christians and look how they behave like evil hatful people that hate helping out the poor. I wonder what God would think about the behavior the GOP and all their lies and scare tactics. If GOD is for you, how can be against you. GOP VS GOD!

“These are all fabrications that have been put out there in order to discourage people from meeting what I consider to be a core ethical and moral obligation: that is that we look out for one another, that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. (Does this man twist the truth or what......Lier in Chief)In the wealthiest nation on earth right now, we are neglecting to live up to that call,” Obama said.

Obama did not take questions following his six-minute statement on the teleconference. However, earlier Wednesday he did take questions submitted in advance by Rabbis.

Religious metaphors and imperatives were in full force during the calls, which were part of an effort by religious groups to organize “40 days” of action for health care reform. .........He always uses biblical quotes in a disrespectful way.........Let me just say this; Obama, don't mess around with God's Word for the purpose of a lie.

“We are God's partners in matters of life and death," Obama said during the call with Jewish leaders, according to a post on Twitter by Washington-area Rabbi Jack Moline.